2019/20
Part-time
Undergraduate
course

Key information

Fees (total cost)

Overview

The Ulster Law School has an excellent reputation for teaching, research, student support and student development.

Summary

The School of Law seeks to achieve excellence in teaching, research and professional development. The School provides a range of LLB courses, all of which are Qualifying Law Degrees (QLDs) for the purposes of the legal professions, as well as a range of postgraduate courses. Students at Ulster have the opportunity to draw upon the expertise of an internationally recognised group of researchers. Law at Ulster was ranked 4th in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), with 82% of publications ranked as world-leading or internationally excellent. The REF 2014 results also showcase the real-world impact of legal research at Ulster. In the new 'Research Impact' category, 100% of our work was scored as world-leading.

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Start dates

Modules

Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Year one

Criminal Law

Year: 1

Status: C

Criminal law is the body of statute and common law that has developed in an attempt to protect society from certain activities that have been deemed socially harmful. The module develops students' knowledge of the criminal law, and essential skills for legal study. Students will test their ability to apply the law to problem scenarios as well as learning to identify and critique problems with the law evaluate arguments for and against change.

Exploring Law

Year: 1

Status: C

This module introduces basic legal principles and concepts, and enables students to understand the structure and organisation of the legal system in the UK (with a particular emphasis on Northern Ireland). It introduces students to the concepts of reflective and independent learning, and provides them with the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment required for the study of law as a discipline. This module continues the induction process and offers the students an opportunity to obtain information about careers and personal development. Formal assessment on this module is by an online assessment exercise and coursework.

Criminal law

Year: 1

Status: C

Criminal law provides the ideal vehicle to study both common law and legislation and develop an understanding of the relationship between law in Northern Ireland and the law in England and Wales. Students learn the scope and content of criminal law and understand the need for reform in certain areas through academic commentary and critical discussion and evaluation. In examining the principle and substance of criminal law students also gain the opportunity to develop skills in legal reasoning and analysis.

Introduction to Politics and Government

Year: 1

Status: C

The module is designed to provoke thought, challenge preconceptions, stimulate questions about the nature of politics and government. Thus, it considers the meaning of government and key concepts associated with it - democracy, the state, the representative process, constitutions, executives, legislatures, political parties and pressure groups. In so doing, it asks who governs and how government ought to be organised, discusses its responsibilities and the nature of political power. The module promotes familiarity with the alternative perspectives advanced on these topics as a foundation to a more sophisticated and systematic treatment subsequently.

Foundations of Political Thought

Status: O

Year: 1

This module is optional

This module introduces students to the study of political thought in its ideological forms. Political ideologies have been implicated in all major political developments over the last two centuries and demand special attention. This module clarifies the principles of these major systems and identifies their implications for political practice.

Year two

Introduction to Law

Year: 2

Status: C

This module covers basic legal principles and concepts, enabling students to understand the United Kingdom's legal system, its structure and organisation. This module provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to study law. This module continues the induction process and also offers students an opportunity to obtain information about careers and personal development and to observe the legal system in practice, via court visits and events such as guest speakers.

Introduction to Property Law

Year: 2

Status: C

This module provides students with introductory knowledge of property law in both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. Key topics include the concept of property rights in land; nature and history of property rights in Northern Ireland; methods for acquisition of property interests in Northern Ireland and England & Wales; adverse possession in Northern Ireland and England & Wales; leases; licences; etc.

Public Law 1

Year: 2

Status: C

A thorough knowledge of the constitutional basis is necessary in order to appreciate the powers and responsibilities of government and the limit to its competence. This module examines the constitutional arrangements of the UK, dealing in detail with constitutional matters that affect Northern Ireland, allowing students to appreciate the powers and responsibilities of both central and devolved government and the limit to the competences of each tier of government. The module also explores the history and evolution of the constitutional norms that shape UK legal constitutional discourse. Students are also introduced to the Human Rights Act 1998 and to the theory of, procedure for, and the grounds for judicial review.

Public Law

Year: 2

Status: C

Students by the end of this module should have a good grasp of the constitutional arrangements within the United Kingdom including: institutions of government, key principles underpinning the constitution of the United Kingdom, the arrangements for devolved governance in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the importance of European Union Law as a source of law within the constitution of the United Kingdom, the legal protection of human rights and civil liberties, mechanisms of accountability within constitutional law, especially judicial review, and proposed reforms and debates surrounding such reforms.

Law of Tort

Year: 2

Status: C

The law of tort plays a central role in the modern legal system, and it is important that anyone engaged in a study of law should have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the principles of the law of tort. This module will explore those principles in detail and will enable students to apply the principles to practical problems and real-life situations.

Law of Tort

Year: 2

Status: C

The law of tort plays a central role in the modern legal system, and it is important that anyone engaged in a study of law should have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the principles of the law of tort. This module will explore those principles in detail and will enable students to apply the principles to practical problems and real-life situations.

Contract law

Year: 2

Status: C

The module will provide a basis for acquiring knowledge and understanding and developing analysis of the key concepts, problems and issues in the law of contract. The theories, principles and rules of the law of contract will be explained. The module will address the key features of contract law including, formation of contract, exclusion clauses, vitiating factors, discharge of contract and remedies

Government of the United Kingdom

Status: O

Year: 2

This module is optional

The module is designed to provoke thought and stimulate questions about the nature of politics and government within the UK. Thus, it considers the key aspects of British politics including political culture, the function and structure of political parties and pressure groups, sub national forms of government and the role of the mass media. In doing so, it examines the dispersal of power within the United Kingdom discusses the changing responsibilities of government, and the nature of political power in a modern state.

International Politics

Status: O

Year: 2

This module is optional

International Politics introduces the student to the study of international politics and to the main theories and debates relevant to understanding politics in an international context, including an introduction to theories of globalisation.

The module provides all politics students with an introduction to the building blocks of international relations as well as an introduction to theoretical concepts, institutional design and comparative elements of global affairs. This provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate team work and individual study as well as encouraging students to develop their capacity to read, write and think in an academic environment, preparing them for modules at degree level in future years.

Year three

Contract Law

Year: 3

Status: C

The module will provide a basis for acquiring knowledge and understanding and developing analysis of the key concepts, problems and issues in the law of contract. The theories, principles and rules of the law of contract will be explained. The module will address the key features of contract law including formation of contract, contractual terms, exclusion and limitation clauses, vitiating factors, discharge of contract and remedies.

Land Law

Year: 3

Status: C

This module provides students with the opportunity to study Land Law (which is considered to be a core subject in the study of law) in respect to both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. The professional bodies require law school graduate entrants to have studied Land Law at Degree Level. This module (together with Introduction to Property Law) satisfies the requirements of the professions in both jurisdictions.

Land Law

Year: 3

Status: C

This module provides students with the opportunity to study Land Law (which is considered to be a core subject in the study of law) in respect to both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. The professional bodies require law school graduate entrants to have studied Land Law at Degree Level. This module (together with Introduction to Property Law) satisfies the requirements of the professions in both jurisdictions.

European Law

Year: 3

Status: C

This module provides an overview of the constitutional principles and legal institutions of the European Union and the development of the European Union from its original inception as the European Community. The importance of law in the development of the European Union as a 'supranational organisation' is examined in the context of concepts such as supremacy and direct effect contributing to enforcement of EU law. The module also introduces students to some central areas within the market integration process as well as contemporary issues such as the legal ramifications of BREXIT.

British Politics and Policy

Year: 3

Status: C

Studying how policy is created and implemented in the United Kingdom, by the British Government and other notable political actors and groups, can help can unlock some of the key issues in the study of politics. These include how resources are distributed, and how power is created, maintained and distributed in the UK. This module builds on the earlier module Introduction to Government by focusing on the the British State, and the formulation and implementation of policy, in particular the increasing importance of British foreign policy. The module is offered by blended learning.

The Politics of Ireland since Partition

Status: O

Year: 3

This module is optional

The module provides a survey of the political history of the two states which were born out of the partition settlement in 1921. It examines the constitutional frameworks, political institutions along with Anglo-Irish and North-South relations up to the troubles and the peace process.

Politics in Europe

Status: O

Year: 3

This module is optional

This module seeks to explore political developments in Europe since 1945 and their significance for political thinking. It aims to develop a critical understanding of the development of the state and society and the social contract as it has changed over the last decades in a critical geographical region. It will introduce students to important issues in European affairs, to aspects of international relations including European integration and to comparative analysis.

European Politics have recently come to impact very directly on the lives of students in Ulster. Creating an environment where students can engage in an informed, intelligent and critical manner on the basis of evidence and rigorous debate is a critical contribution to student knowledge, the development of key skills and an important element in Politics education. By adopting a historical, institutional and comparative approach students are encouraged to examine many aspects of European Politics and to enquire openly about political development. By engaging through a variety of methods, including lecture, research, project writing and independent study, students are encouraged to develop a variety of core skills which contribute directly to their degree in year 3.

Political thought: Text and Context

Status: O

Year: 3

This module is optional

This module considers the philosophical contributions of the major philosophers that have influenced political thought since the early enlightement period and relates those contributions to the historical contexts in which they were written.

Power

Status: O

Year: 3

This module is optional

This course examines how political actors - both ordinary people and 'elites' - acquire, maintain and subvert power in the political world. The course, then, is designed to deliver an introduction to the literature on the 'faces' of power, but it is also designed to teach students how to transform an idea (about how power is wielded) into a doable research project. Over the course of term, students will also learn how to write a research proposal and conduct an independent research project.

Year four

European Law

Year: 4

Status: C

This module provides an overview of the constitutional principles and legal institutions of the European Union. The module also introduces students to the central areas within the market integration process, namely free movement of goods and persons. After the Treaties of Amsterdam, Nice and Lisbon, the impact of EU law has expanded even further than before. This module examines the development of European Law, the institutional structure and processes as well as the relationship between European Law and national law.

Introduction to Property Law

Year: 4

Status: C

This module provides students with an introduction to the core concepts of property law in both Northern Ireland and England and Wales. This module will directly prepare you for further detailed study of property law at level 5 (Land Law) and at level 6 (Equity and Trusts) as well as complementing the study of aspects of Tort, Contract and even Criminal Law. Completion of this module and Land Law (LAW311) in semester 2 year 2 allows you to meet the requirements of the professional bodies (in respect of property law) in both Northern Ireland and England and Wales.

Law of Evidence

Year: 4

Status: C

The Law of Evidence is key to understanding the judicial system. This module examines the fundamental principles of, and a number of important and controversial issues in, the modern law of evidence. Students will learn to apply the key rules and understand the exercise of judicial discretion on the admission of evidence to court and be encouraged to critique and challenge current rules and practice. The module complements other law modules, particularly criminal law.

Equity and Trusts

Year: 4

Status: C

This module will explore the history and development of equity and of its maxims, the development of the trust and the various types of trust, its various forms, uses and practical implications today. It will consider how trusts can be varied and set aside, the powers and duties of trustees and the remedies for breach of trust. It will also examine equitable doctrines such as conversion and election and survey the law relating to equitable remedies such as injunctions.

Public International Law

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

The module introduces students to the basic concepts of public international law and the role that it serves in international affairs as well as in the domestic legal order. Public International Law permeates every branch of municipal law and this module will enable students to understand key issues of international law, including its sources, institutions and measures of enforcement.

Human Rights Law

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

This module enables students to master the complex area of human rights law. Students will be encouraged to develop an in-depth critical understanding of both the content of human rights law standards and the various means by which it is enforced. Students will come to see both the strengths and weaknesses of human rights law and to appreciate the system of international, regional and national enforcement mechanisms which seek to protect and promote human rights.

Memory and the Nation in Post-War Europe

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

Nationalist, ethnic, and minority issues remain a driving force behind political dynamics, societal and institutional changes across the globe. 'Memory and the Nation' is an optional module that explores the underlying concepts and theories behind, and the main theoretical approaches to, the study of nationalism in post-war Europe.

African Politics

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

This module is about democracy in sub-Saharan Africa from the colonial occupation (1880s-1950s) to the organization and ideology of nationalist movements who secured independence (largely in the 1960s), the economic crisis and closure of political space (1970s), the hollowing out of states in Africa's 'lost decade' (1980s), the (re)opening of this political space in the transition to democracy (1990s), and finally the divergent trajectories - decay or consolidation - taken by different countries (2000s). It is examine by coursework only.

Politics of Deeply Divided Societies

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

The politics of deeply divided societies, riven by ethnic conflict and political violence, are frequently seen as the most complex and difficult to resolve of modern political problems. Though complicated and unique, divided societies share commonalities. Most particularly, in terms of the importance of identity, sovereignty and territory, questions relating to communal access to power, and the legacy of past violence. This module applies a broad comparative lens to the study of deeply divided societies, and examines several societies divided by conflict: Sri Lanka, the former Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Lebanon and Israel -Palestine.

The Politics of Identity

Status: O

Year: 4

This module is optional

This module focuses on the philosophical and empirical study of political groups that organise around a particular identity. It examines some of the major theoretical frameworks in contemporary political theory and applies these to concrete examples of identity group politics.

Year five

Dissertation

Year: 5

Status: C

The dissertation is designed to allow the student to integrate key skills and knowledge acquired from the course and to relate these to a specific issue or issues in law. Students are expected to produce a sophisticated, original piece of research and writing on a legal issue. The module will consolidate and build upon the skills which students will have gained in other modules e.g. ITL, Legal Research Methods.

Dissertation - Law

Year: 5

Status: C

This module provides students with the opportunity to undertake a substantial piece of independent, scholarly research in a chosen area of law.

Law of Evidence

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module will provide students with access to a comprehensive programme of study which will examine fundamental principles of the law of evidence, amd analyse a number of important and controversial issues in the modern law. It will also provide students with an understanding of the operation of evidential rules within the civil and criminal justice systems in a manner which accords with national professional standards.

Transitional Justice

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module explores the real-life dilemmas negotiated in countries emerging from dictatorship and conflict. These include whether legal mechanisms can assist in achieving truth, justice, and/or reconciliation; or whether these goals are sometimes antithetical. The module will enable students to engage with international humanitarian law and human rights law, and in particular. The module also serves as an introduction to concepts and issues that are explored in greater depth in the LLM in Human Rights and Transitional Justice offered at the University of Ulster.

Medical Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

The aim of this module is to examine the law's involvement with medicine and to raise ethical and contextual awareness of selected medical topics.

Surveillance and the Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module explores and evaluates the legal framework within which surveillance operates in the United Kingdom. Considering the role of surveillance in society, the relationship between surveillance, privacy rights and fair trial rights is evaluated with specific reference to data protection, interception of communications, directed and intrusive surveillance, official secrecy, the security and intelligence services and recent developments in relation to identity and identity theft.

Employment law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

The importance of the employment relationship between employers, employees, unions and other statutory bodies and agencies is such that a thorough knowledge of both the context and the substantive law is necessary for those involved in this area in any capacity. The module attempts to provide the basis for this knowledge and to put students in the position where they may not only have an understanding of the law both conceptually and substantively, but also be in a position to use that knowledge prophylactically and in the solution of problems.

Media Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

The study of media law requires students to understand basic legal principles in such areas as freedom of speech, intellectual property, contempt of court, defamation, parliamentary privilege and copyright. It also requires the students to acquire certain skills, such as those of instant recall, analysis, argumentation and articulation, and the ability to apply legal principles to practical problems. This module provides the necessary information, knowledge and intellectual equipment to acquire such knowledge and skills.

Company Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module introduces students to the body of rules and principles of law which regulate public and private companies. It is of practical significance to all those who wish to make a career in, or have dealings with, such companies.

Land: Rights, Resources and the Environment

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module explores this tension between the conception of land as a bundle of rights and land as a resource for the common good, with a particular focus on environmental concerns. The module will consider: the relationship(s) between land owners/users and the state; fundamentals of environmental law; land, human rights and the environment; planning and the environment; conservation of the natural environment; land as a diminishing resource (flooding and coastal erosion) and trespass/control of access to land.

Social Justice

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

An understanding of the relationship between the state and citizen, and the contractual and moral obligations of each, is the key to understanding the changing nature of the law as it relates to social justice issues. This module explores the way in which the law deals with social justice issues by providing insight into the effects of Government policies, legislation and case law on these issues. The module is centred around the theme of poverty and its relationship with other social justice themes like crime control, social control, conflict, health, and social exclusion, its impact on vulnerable groups and the treatment of those vulnerable groups, and its implications for citizenship and society.

Street Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

Street Law is a practical, placement based law module to allow students to develop their legal skills outside the classroom, and appreciate law in society. The module is based primarily in schools groups where students work in pairs over an 8 week placement period and 'teach' law to young people, act as a resource for schools and their pupils, and work with schools and young people to develop subject appropriate information sessions. The practical, professional and transferable skills gained from this are unique to this module and provide students with the opportunity to see first hand how law can impact on young people's attitudes and knowledge, as well as providing students with the academic development necessary for a level 6 module.

Human Rights Law

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

The module builds on other law modules in terms of examining fundamental principles underlying the legislative process as a whole. Through an indepth analysis of human rights protection at a range of levels, (internationally, regionally and domestically) students will have the opportunity to explore key areas of concern on both a theoretical level and through case studies on a more practical basis.

Law of Armed Conflict

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module examines the role of international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict and the extent to which it applies to military operations in societies emerging from conflict. International humanitarian law may play a role in mitigating the effects of the use of armed force, for example in regulating the conduct of hostilities and in the protection of civilians; but it also permits high levels of violence provided certain core rules are observed.

Law, film and visual culture

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

Law, Film and Visual Culture is a deliberately alternative approach to the traditional study of law, both in terms of the basic materials used to ground an approach to the topics under study, and in the teaching arrangements. It is an attempt to foster a developed spirit and capacity in critical intelligence in relation to the cultural make-up of the social environment and thus aims for wide applicability and to break the notion of law as confined to a specific arena.

Law and the Family

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

The module explores the ways in which the law regulates the family and deals with issues such as marital breakdown, domestic violence, and child abuse. As well as critically addressing this range of issues, it also provides insights into the forces that shape family law, and render it less of a private area of activity than is sometimes thought. Family law is an area of concern to policy-makers, social scientists and politicians alike, as well as lawyers, and is a subject of continued, heated, debate.

Legal Practice (UG Law Clinic)

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

This module is taught using clinical legal education and is designed to introduce students to the knowledge and skills required for legal practice. Through the facts of a mock social security case, students will open and manage a client file, conduct a client interview, identify the relevant legal issues, research the legal issues, determine the best course of action in the case and prepare a letter of advice to the client. This will be done in the Ulster University Law Clinic using the same procedures and methods as are employed there when dealing with real cases. The module will culminate in students conducting a live client interview, to gather information about a real client's case. The module is assessed through the real client interview (competent/not yet competent) and the subsequent preparation of a letter of advice. On completion of the module, students will have acquired the skills necessary for competent legal practice and will have had experience of handling a client interview.

Legal Technology: Innovation & Informatics

Status: O

Year: 5

This module is optional

Traditional law and technology courses have looked to the regulation of new technologies, and therefore the restrictive power of law on the use and development of new technologies (in terms of privacy, intellectual property, security). This module looks at the other side of the picture; the ways in which new technological developments will influence the future development of law, legal service provision and access to justice.

A level

The Subject Committee will consider a range of qualifications, experience and other evidence of ability to complete the course satisfactorily when considering applications for part-time study.

GCSE

You must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements for admission to a first degree course and hold a GCSE pass in English Language at grade C or above (or equivalent).

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicantsThe minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Teaching and learning assessment

The principal teaching methods on this course are lecture, seminar and independent learning. The lectures are largely expository but student participation in seminars in the form of question and answer sessions is encouraged. Assessment typically involves sitting an examination or submitting coursework or a combination of the two. Coursework is assessed in a variety of ways, including essays, case studies, presentations, tests and mooting.

Exemptions and transferability

The professional bodies that accredit LLB degrees place restrictions on the extent to which credit can be given for study undertaken on other courses and/or at other institutions. Provided that a candidate has met the standard entrance requirements for the course, consideration will be given (subject to these restrictions) to an application to transfer or for exemption from specific modules. No transfer or exemption is possible at level 6.

Careers & opportunities

Career options

Our graduates have gone on to study law at Postgraduate level both at Ulster and other institutions (e.g. master's courses such as the LLM, or doctoral studies); others are now in practice as solicitors or barristers, having completed the Certificate in Professional Legal Studies. Others have pursued careers in related areas such as the business or finance sector, human resources, politics, and the community sector.

Start dates

Fees and funding

Fees (total cost)

Important notice - fees information
Fees illustrated are based on 18/19 entry and are subject to an annual increase. Correct at the time of publishing. Terms and conditions apply. Additional mandatory costs are highlighted where they are known in advance. There are other costs associated with university study.
Visit our Fees pages for full details of fees

Northern Ireland & EU:

£5,470.00

Scholarships, awards and prizes

Prizes are sponsored by some of the foremost law firms in Northern Ireland, leading NGOs and legal publishing houses. The School believes that hard work and talent should be rewarded and, as such, the range of prizes on offer within the Law School provide an excellent means of facilitating student engagement with the legal professions and with community based organisations more broadly.

Additional mandatory costs

Tuition fees and costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges), and normal living are a part of university life.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses we make every effort to highlight them. These may include residential visits, field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering) inoculations, security checks, computer equipment, uniforms, professional memberships etc.

We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free wifi is also available on each of the campuses.

There will be some additional costs to being a student which cannot be itemised and these will be different for each student. You may choose to purchase your own textbooks and course materials or prefer your own computer and software. Printing and binding may also be required. There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines. Additional costs vary from course to course.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs as well as tuition fees.